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He said that he heard Hubert Webb quarreling with another young looking customer. Am I dismayed by the decision of the (Supreme Court)? 176864. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Vizconde said he was optimistic about finding more witnesses.. She observed Hubert was quite irritated, uneasy, and walked to and fro inside his room. I am not an NBI agent nor an NBI asset. She was the prosecutions worst possible choice for a witness. No two persons have the same DNA fingerprint, with the exception of identical twins. [51] On March 18, Hubert Webb filed a lawsuit against Jessica Alfaro for false testimony at the Paraaque Prosecutor's Office. In open court, he already said there were six, not four assailants; that it was two other gunmen, not one of the four present close to the car who pointed the gun at him; and he was not nervous but rather had the opportunity to see the faces of all the assailants facing him all at the same time. I expected this decision because since the start, I knew that Jessica Alfaro was not entirely telling the truth. Powered by, Appendix: Case analysis: Supreme Courts rulings on Vizconde and Abadilla cases are contradictory, http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/december2010/176389.htm, http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/september2010/182555.htm, http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/abadilla5/docs/A5-FinalAppealPetition.pdf, http://campaigns.ahrchk.net/abadilla5/docs/A5-CAdecision.pdf. De Lima said the evidence that showed Webb and any of the co-accused were in the country came from the magnetic reel tape (MRT) of the Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) where all records of incoming and outgoing passengers from the Philippines are recorded. It is that simple. Pray to them. The SC rendered its judgment on the Abadilla case on September 7 and on the Vizconde case on December 14 of this year [2010]. [29], For the alibi to be established "the accused must prove by positive, clear, and satisfactory evidence that he was present at another place at the time of the perpetration of the crime, and that it was physically impossible for him to be at the scene of the crime". Besides the horror itself, the suspected perpetrators included high-society figures. In the Vizconde case, the SC does not accept conjecture as the basis of its decision. The trial began in August 1995 before Paraaque RTC Judge Amelita Tolentino. It held that a positive declaration from a witness that he saw the accused commit the crime should not automatically cancel out the accuseds claim that he did not do it. SC acquits Hubert Webb, 6 others in Vizconde massacre The trial of the case having been long concluded, the requirements of the law may have been satisfied, but not the demands of justice. [22], On October 8, 2010, Webb filed an urgent motion for acquittal. One of the important pieces of evidence, which I presented to the court later, was the copy of an invoice issued to Hubert Webb on coincidence of coincidences! [2] Lauro Vizconde, Estrellita's husband and the father of Carmela and Jennifer, was in the United States on business when the murders took place. The court rejected his testimony because he was a disgruntled witness. He also claimed to have heard Hubert shout, Putang ina nyo! On January 4, 2000, the Regional Trial Court of Paranaque City rendered its judgement finding all the accused guilty as charged imposing a penalty of life imprisonment. On August 11, 1999, the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City acquitted two of them and convicted the five others, now collectively known as the Abadilla Five. After the Mass, VACC founding chair Dante Jimenez urged Congress to initiate impeachment proceedings against the seven Supreme Court justices who either voted to acquit Webb and coaccused or abstained from voting last December. February 26, 2021. . The lead suspect was Hubert Webb whose father, Freddie Webb was famous as an actor, former basketball player, and Paraaque congressman at the time of the murders. Webbs co-accused, Antonio Lejano, is a son of a known singer and celebrity. Hubert argued that the specimen could exonerate him from the charge and support his defence that he did not rape the victim. When the accused appealed the decision, the Court of Appeals (CA) affirmed the judgement of conviction by the RTC. Webb was among the nine people convicted by Paranaque Regional Trial Court Branch 274 Presiding Judge Amelita Tolentino in January 2000 for the killings. Be consoled that the truth will always come out, Hernandez advised Vizconde. For example, I was the first one to report the shooting of 16-year-old Maureen Hultman and her boyfriend by the son of former chief justice Claudio Teehankee in 1991 in my column at theInquirer, because the girls stepfather, Anders, a Swede, came to myIsumbongoffice at Radyo Veritas. Democrito Barcenas, former Integrated Bar of the Philippines Cebu City president and regional coordinator of the Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG): I think that most of the justices are right in their decision. [17], On January 6, 2000, Judge Tolentino rendered her decision, finding Hubert Webb, Peter Estrada, Hospicio Fernandez, Michael Gatchalian, Antonio Lejano II and Miguel Rodriguez guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of rape with homicide. Based on my findings, I defended Hubert in my column and in my radio and TV programs. 150 likes. The Vizconde massacre - my defining moment | Philstar.com Like Alejo, Herbas also at first instance identified Joel de Jesus as one of the gunmen during a police line-up but later withdraw his statement in open court. (Update 6:47 p.m.) The Supreme Court (SC) has cast doubts on the credibility of Jessica Alfaro, the so-called star witness in the gruesome killings of three members of the Vizconde family almost two decades ago. [60] Mario, a hair stylist during the period June 1991, testified that Webb, along with Tony Boy Lejano and Dong Ventura had their haircut. Philstar.com is one of the most vibrant, opinionated, discerning communities of readers on cyberspace. Sacaguing broke the guidelines in taking affidavits from witnesses. Webb wanted Alfaro, the then-girlfriend of one of the accused men, Peter Estrada, to join them because Estrellita Vizconde only allowed her daughter to go out and entertain female visitors. New Vizconde massacre witness found | Inquirer News This policewoman is either ignorant of the law or plain lazy. It was based on the rule of the minority and not the majority as they (the SC justices) had enunciated in Fortich v. starring Kris Aquino as Carmela Vizconde. Vizconde marks 20th year of murders: Time to move on She took advantage of her familiarity with these details to include in her testimony. The Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption(VACC) asked Justice Antonio Carpio and his cousin Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales to take a leave while the case is being decided to avoid undue influence on the court's decision. Like the accused in the Vizconde case and for any other cases for that matter, the accused in the Abadilla murder case also deserve equal protection of the law. As to the failure to present the forensic evidence and its subsequent loss, the SC held: the semen specimen taken from Carmela cannot possibly lie. No. Secondly, in the Abadilla case the SC held that the defense of alibi is weak, but in the Vizconde case it held that not all denials and alibis should be regarded as fabricated. But in the Abadilla case, the relatives and friends are not an impartial witness to corroborate the defence of alibi of the accused. By her account, after a drug session with the group, Webb allegedly had hatched his plan to rape Carmela Vizconde. Biong walks free, insists he's innocent | ABS-CBN News In a 38-page strongly-worded decision promulgated on Tuesday, the . Don't miss out on the latest news and information. She did not show up at the NBI as a spontaneous witness (only after four years) bothered by her conscience. The women were found dead with multiple stab wounds and no witnesses, murder weapons or motive have been uncovered. Call 896 6000. Kung di ninyo ako pinabayaan, 'di ako magkakaganito. (Fuck you all! Their claims were corroborated by witnesses who are disinterested parties, their relatives and friends and documentary evidence. Cruz, Manila accompanying his brother-in-law, Jonas Padel Ayhon, whose wife had just given birth; and Rameses de Jesus and Lenido Lumanog had just left Manila for Mabalacat, Pampanga where they stayed until the evening of June 14. It cannot be coached or allured by a promise of reward or financial support. No. Secondly, the SC affirmed the CAs assertion that Alejo was a credible witness ignoring the questions to his credibility by arguing that: positive and unequivocal declaration is sufficient to support a conviction for murder against appellants. 176864 People of the Philippines vs. Hubert Webb, et. Inconsistencies: In Vizconde case damages credibility, in Abadilla case does not. White, on the other hand, said he saw the three cars enter the subdivision on the night of June 29, as Alfaro had testified; White also testified that policeman Gerardo Biong was the first to arrive at the crime scene. The majority of the justices also rejected as conjecture the argument of one of the dissenting justices, Martin Villarama Jr., that it would not have been impossible during the interregnum for Webb to travel back to the country and again fly to the US several times considering that the travel time on board an airline from the Philippines to San Francisco, and from San Francisco to the Philippines takes only about twelve (12) to fourteen (14) hours. I found this As of yesterday, police had arrested and filed criminal charges against six fraternity members suspected to have beaten to death John Matthew Salilig in a twisted concept ofbrotherhood. All rights are reserved. The lower courts, the Supreme Court said, held that "Webb was actually in Paraaque when the Vizconde killings took place". You are just a few clicks away from making The SC, however, held that by failing to prove the existence of a relationship between Hubert and Carmela; and that the lover that Alfaro claimed that Carmela had met did not come forward in public or in court, her testimonies about the accused and the victims were like a piece of jigsaw puzzle trimmed to fit into the shape on the board but does not belong because it clashes with the surrounding pieces and the lover was a mere ghost of the imagination of Alfaro, the woman who made a living informing on criminals. Connections Followed by The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II - May the Lord Be with Us! With Romeo Vasquez, Elizabeth Oropesa, Robert Arevalo, Tommy Abuel. The Visconde Massacre Case - Filipino Journal I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy. Includes gruesome real photos from the crime scene. Jennifer Diaz, chief of the women and childrens desk, told Allan to file the complaint with the barangay where they reside. Webb had presented the alibi that he was in the United States when the crime was committed, but he was still found guilty by the Paraaque Regional Trial Court. ", Jessica Alfaro: Alfaro's e-mail from abroad read. Theyre projecting Digong as a feeble old man still seeking power. Vizconde Massacre Case Digest - Philippine True Crime Stories | Martin Rules. Alfaro implicated the children of wealthy and prominent families, including Hubert Webb, Antonio Lejano II, Hospicio Fernandez, Michael Gatchalian, Miguel Rodriguez, Peter Estrada, Joey Vffrillaret and Artemio Ventura. No. [5] The other defendants were convicted by the Paraaque Regional Trial Court, which the Court of Appeals affirmed. One of the justices, Roberto Abad, who dissented the majority decision affirming the guilty verdict wrote: the public prosecutor chose instead to allow the Abadillas, who had an interest in Alejos testimony, to make him dependent on them for his livelihood at least for the duration of the trial of the case. To support this, Webb presented a Certification issued by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service of August 31, 1995 confirming that his entry into that country was recorded. Massacre era. In rejecting questions to Alejos credibility, the SC affirmed the CAs ruling that the credible testimony of a lone witness(es) assumes more weight when there is no showing that he was actuated by improper motive to testify falsely against the accused, as in the case of Freddie Alejo. Eighteen-year-old daughter Carmela was raped, and had 17 stab wounds. [19], The Court of Appeals' Third Division voted 32 to deny Webb's motion for reconsideration and upheld the ruling of Judge Tolentino on December 16, 2005. [54] He was laid to rest at Manila Memorial Park Sucat on February 17. [4] In the Trial Court (People of the Philippines vs. Hubert Webb, et al., G.R. The CA rather held that positive and unequivocal declaration is sufficient to support a conviction which was affirmed by the SC. In this case, the existence of an earlier negative report on the NIIS record on file concerning the entry of appellant Webb into and his exit from the US on March 9, 1991, and October 26, 1992, respectively, had raised serious doubt on the veracity and accuracy of the subsequently issued second certification dated August 31, 1995 which is based merely on a computer print-out of his alleged entry on March 9, 1991, and departure on October 26, 1992. 176389 / G.R. 132577 People of the Philippines vs. Hubert Jeffrey P. Webb, 1999, G.R. The Murder of an Entire Family While Dad Was Abroad for Work In their alibis, Joel de Jesus claimed he was driving his passenger tricycle in Fairview, Quezon City the whole day; for SPO2 Cesar Fortuna, he was at Camp Crame (headquarters of the Philippine National Police, PNP) for official business and his presence was also corroborated by two police officials whom he had transacted business with; for Augusto Santos, he was at the Jose Fabella Hospital in Sta. 124871, May 13, 2004. When she could not produce the person, Sacaguing continued to press her saying that she might as well assume the role of her informant.. On the acquittal of Lorenzo delos Santos, the accused whom Alejo had also positively identified, it ruled that his acquittal did not damage Alejos credibility; and his positive identification of the accused. I will be conferring with my lawyers about my future moves.. On the contrary, it reopens it. The Supreme Court acquitted them on Dec. 14, 2010. Like Herbas, court records had also shown that Alejo has been receiving money and free accommodation from the Abadillas. It was also not true that there was no showing that he (Alejo) was actuated by improper motive to testify falsely against the accused because the defence had since been challenging his credibility during the trial. Still seeking justice for his family's grim fate, Lauro Vizconde exhausts all resources available to him. Footnote: This article comprises the text of a statement issued by the Asian Human Rights Commission, AHRC-STM-266-2010, dated 21 December 2010. Let the love of God prevail. Police assets are often criminals themselves. Webb's travel documents and other paper trail of his stay in the US are unreliable proof of his absence in the Philippines at the time of the commission of the crime charged. As a result, the court reverses the decision of the Court of Appeals, and acquits Webb, et al. Only minor cases, like oral defamation and quarrel between neighbors, are handled by the barangay. Violent Vizconde Massacre | Crimes That Shocked Asia - YouTube Hello friends! Alfaro claimed that Hubert was angry at Carmela thus raping and murdering her, her younger sister and her mother, to supposedly revenge her unfaithfulness to him. However, keep in mind not to be vindictive. [2][20], The court ruled that the Paraaque RTC was correct in sentencing Webb et al. On SPO2 Cesar Fortuna, the RTC, the CA and the SC, accepted the fact that he was at Camp Crame, but the SC affirmed the RTC and the CAs conjecture that it was not impossible for him to have gone to Katipunan road, Blue Ridge, which is relatively near Camp Crame when the shooting happened around 8.40 in the morning. The Vizconde massacre, dubbed the crime of the 20th century, was my defining moment as a columnist and defender of the oppressed and those. The Vizconde Massacre. June 14, 1993 - Vizconde Massacre solved; 'brains,' three others fall Police finish investigation of the Vizconde case with the arrest of the suspected mastermind and three other suspects,. 1. You will regret it.[58][59] Jack, a village security guard who kept records of the village where Webb lived said he saw Hubert Webb during the time of the massacre. The court ruled that Alfaro was "a stool pigeon, one who earned her living by fraternizing with criminals so she could squeal on them to her NBI handlers." On June 30, 1991, Estrellita Vizconde and her two daughters: Carmela and Jennifer, were found lifeless inside their home in Paraaque. At the end of February, the Bureau of Fire Protection held a parade featuring some of its trucks and equipment as well as new regular personnel: women firefighters. [60] De Lima believed Dong Villadolid is the same person as Dong Ventura, one of the co-accused who fled to the US following the massacre. The AHRC is deeply concerned by the contradiction in the application of jurisprudence by the SC in these cases, particularly its ruling on positive identification, the credibility of witness and its appreciation of forensic evidence. Vizconde is clinging to the hope that even if this period ended Thursday, more concerned citizens will approach the National Bureau of Investigation to corroborate claims made by new witnesses that Webb was seen in BF Homes, Paraaque City, at the time of the murders. 'Hubert Webb was in PH during Vizconde massacre' - ABS-CBN News [25][26], On December 14, 2010, the Supreme Court reversed the earlier judgment of the lower court and Court of Appeals and acquitted seven of the nine accused, including Hubert Webb, finding that the prosecution failed to prove that the accused were guilty beyond reasonable doubt. Ateneo law professor Alan Paguia: "The order of release is questionable as it appears to be undemocratic. Yes, but what can I do (?). Webb's testimony was also contradicted by other US-based defense witnesses who said they usually saw him "going to the beach, malling, bar-hopping or playing basketball. Former Paraaque policeman Gerardo Biong was found guilty as an accessory for burning bedsheets and tampering with other evidence in the crime. He adds, this Court takes judicial notice of reported irregularities and tampering of passports in the years prior to the recent issuance by the Department of Foreign Affairs(DFA) of machine-readable passports. "[29], The court maintained that for a person to be convicted there should not be "a reasonable, lingering doubt as to his guilt." [29] Her mother, Estrellita, 47, and sister, Jennifer, 7, were also killed. De Lima also said seven new witnesses claimed they saw Webb in the country during the months of April, May and June 1991. Nos. The tapes were restored by IBM while being monitored by the National Computer Center. A second movie, The Untold Story: Vizconde Massacre II May The Lord Be With Us, was released in 1994 and starred Vina Morales as Carmela and Joko Daz as an assailant. Tolentino also found it hard to believe that Webb was working with a pesticide company because he was asthmatic and allergic to various substances. With your meaningful insights, help shape the stories that can shape the country. The defense questioned Alfaro's credibility noting that she admitted to being under the influence of drugs when she allegedly witnessed the crime and had made inconsistent statements on her two affidavits. No. This is a violation of the duty of state." But Custodio admits this may be easier said than done. Hopefully, if they will surface, public pressure will snowball and I will finally get the justice I am looking for, he said. 'Ms. Alfaro, upon explaining on how the house was ransacked, (the Paraaque police had earlier blamed house robbers as suspects), said that Ventura was looking for the front-door key and the car key. Choose Gods endless kind of love., Hernandez also reminded Vizconde that he now had three saints in Heaven.. Welcome to my maiden column in TheSTAR, now the countrys No. The details of how they were killed were grim. The politician would only be allowed by the spouse to run if the party that this politician will join can come up with a big amount for their family. InAbadilla case: The SC admitted the positive identification of witness Freddie Alejo when it considered him a credible witness. On April this year, the Webbs filed an urgent motion to acquit when they found out that the NBI no longer has custody of the specimen that was taken from the body of the rape victim, Carmela Visconde. The case remained unsolved for almost four years until eyewitness, Jessica Alfaro Testified that Hubert Webb is the lead suspect and responsible of the crime committed. Vizconde should go after the national government. 1. The prosecution of this case only began in August 10, 1995, four years after the massacre happened, when Jessica Alfaro, an informant working for the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), told lawyer Artemio Sacaguing, an official of the NBI, that she knew someone who had the real story behind the Vizconde massacre. Policewoman Diaz even insulted Allan, saying he had no right to file the attempted rape complaint on behalf of the girl, because he was only the stepfather. The ballistic test results also did not match to any of the firearms supposedly taken from the accused to the empty shells that were recovered at the crime scene. September 7, 2010http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2010/september2010/182555.htm CONCLUSION: The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) is deeply concerned by this unequal application of jurisprudence by the SC on the Abadilla murder and the Vizconde massacre. Sulu in the eyes of my good friend Princess Jacel Kiram is a potential eco-tourism destination and fruit basket of the country. Eleazar, a strict disciplinarian, is probably the only PNP chief who is loved and respected by the citizenry. [13][14], Other prosecution witnesses were: Carlos J. Cristobal who alleged that on March 9, 1991, he was a passenger of United Airlines Flight No. Early Thursday, Lauro Vizconde went to Holy Cross Memorial Park and laid bouquets of roses on the tombs of his wife and daughters. I stand by my story. The prescription period does not matter to me, its just a date, he said. But Justice Conchita Carpio Morales, who concurred with the decision, wrote strongly against basing judgement on conjectures: Facts decide cases. I was a barbarian in my college years at the University of the Philippines. : Directed by Carlo J. Caparas. VIZCONDE MASSACRE: 20 YEARS, TWO FACES OF JUSTICE Report by Maki Pulido It is one of the most controversial cases in the country's history, the most shocking crime in the 90s - the Vizconde Massacre. a contribution to Human Rights work, Asian Human Rights Commission Copyright 2023. [29], The court also held that the testimony of the Webb's maid, Mila Gaviola, was also unreliable since she was not able to distinguish if it was Hubert whom she saw on June 30, 1991, nor "did she remember any of the details that happened in the household on the other days". TRUTH OUT, HEALING BEGINS. Indeed, if the accused is truly innocent, he can have no other defense but denial and alibi. This column will tackle various topics on the days it will come out: Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. They cannot be the bases of conviction as they cannot substitute for the constitutional requirement of proof of guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The Vizconde murder case, colloquially known as the Vizconde massacre, was the multiple homicide of members of the Vizconde family on June 30, 1991 at their residence at 80 Vinzons Street, BF Homes, Paraaque, Metro Manila, Philippines. The readers will notice soon enough the brevity of each topic. It held that the acquittal of their co-accused does not necessarily benefit the appellants. Nephews had posted a banner declaring Truth prevails 20 years after and demanding Final justice for the Vizconde massacre victims, in apparent reference to government probers claims that, contrary to his alibi, released murder convict Hubert Webb never left the country. SC slams 'unbelievable' testimony of Vizconde massacre witness. Pitong, an electrician who since 1982, already knew the Webb family claimed he saw a laundry woman wash a bloodied T-shirt on the morning of the crime. This is one of the most controversial and widely publicised massacre cases because of the involvement of the son of a former Philippine . [2][12] Security guards Justo Cabanacan and Normal White. So how can such accused penetrate a mind that has been made cynical by the rule drilled into his head that a defense of alibi is a hangmans noose in the face of a witness positively swearing. Nephews had posted a banner declaring "Truth prevails 20 years after" and demanding "Final justice for the Vizconde massacre victims," in apparent reference to government probers' claims . TV-14. Justice Villarama argued that a photocopy of Webbs passport in court to support his alibi and the testimonies of witnesses, mostly his relatives and friends, could not be given merit, by cautioning his fellow justices that it can be gleaned from the fact that passports and plane tickets indicating dates of arrival and departure do not necessarily prove that the very same person actually took the flight and added that indeed, alibi cannot be sustained where it is not only without credible corroboration, but also where it does not, on its face, demonstrate the physical impossibility of the accuseds presence at the place and time of the commission of the crime. That's all crap! Unreliability of Jessica Alfaro's testimony: Alfaro had prior knowledge on the facts of the case having been an, Alfaro was not able to explain why the house was ransacked if robbery was not the motive of Webb and his group, Unreliability of testimony from other witnesses, Alfaro's testimony will fall apart if Webb was not at the crime scene and will relieve the others accused of the crime.